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Updated: May 12, 2026
Clinical-oriented Three-dimensional Gait Analysis Method for Evaluating Gait Disorder
Published on: March 4, 2018
[Two cases of pediatric psychogenic gait disturbance]
Fumiyuki Goto1, Noriko Morimoto, Hidenobu Taiji
1National Hospital Organization Tokyo Medical Center, Department of Otorhinolaryngology.
Insights
Pediatric psychogenic gait disturbance is rare. Diagnosis requires ruling out organic causes and observing specific clinical signs, with symptoms typically resolving within 4-5 months.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Neurology
- Child Psychology
Background:
- Psychogenic gait disturbance is a rare condition in children.
- Understanding its clinical presentation is crucial for accurate diagnosis and management.
Observation:
- Two 10-year-old boys presented with psychogenic gait disturbance.
- Patient 1 experienced concurrent psychogenic fever and visual disturbance.
- Patient 2 reported headache, fatigue, and a subfebrile state.
Findings:
- Key diagnostic features include fluctuating gait, excessive slowness, and inefficient postures.
- Symptoms demonstrated variability, often responding to suggestion.
- Both patients showed improvement, with resolution in 4 to 5 months.
Implications:
- Accurate diagnosis necessitates excluding organic neurological disorders.
- Treatment duration can be lengthy, requiring patience and supportive care.
- Recognizing characteristic symptoms aids in timely and appropriate management of pediatric psychogenic gait disturbance.
Abstract:
We report herein on 2 cases of pediatric psychogenic gait disturbance. Both patients (boys) were aged 10 years. Patient 1 had psychogenic fever and psychogenic visual disturbance. His symptoms improved after 4 months. Patient 2 had headache and general fatigue and was subfebrile. His symptoms disappeared after 5 months. Pediatric psychogenic gait disturbance is rare, and it is important to understand the clinical characteristics of the affected patients. In most cases, treatment can be time-consuming. To treat these patients, it is important to rule out organic disorders. A diagnosis of psychogenic gait disturbance should be made on the basis of the clinical characteristics of the disorder, such as (1) momentary fluctuations of stance and gait, often in response to suggestions; (2) excessive slowness or hesitation of locomotion incompatible with neurological disease; and (3) uneconomic postures with wastage of muscle energy. These symptoms typically improve in 4-5 months.
